{"id":29492,"date":"2025-01-24T07:53:03","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T06:53:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/?p=29492"},"modified":"2026-03-31T11:25:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:25:15","slug":"french-town-inherits-10-2mn-from-unknown-benefactor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/2025\/01\/french-town-inherits-10-2mn-from-unknown-benefactor\/","title":{"rendered":"French Town Inherits $10.2mn from Unknown Benefactor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

B2 – Upper Intermediate<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine receiving a generous amount of money from a total stranger. How would that make you feel? This is exactly what happened to the small town of Thiberville as it becomes the unexpected beneficiary of an astounding amount of inheritance from a Parisian meteorologist who never once set foot in the town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s read the article and know more about the circumstances around this generous inheritance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/jan\/11\/tiny-french-town-left-10m-fortune-by-a-man-who-had-never-been-there<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vocabulary Questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. What does the phrase “to leave someone in disbelief<\/strong>” mean? “The unexpected inheritance amounts to five times the town\u2019s annual budget, leaving officials and residents<\/strong> in disbelief<\/strong>.”<\/em> Use it in a sentence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. What does the word “windfall<\/strong>” mean in this context? “Mayor Guy Paris described the windfall <\/strong>as\u201cexceptional\u201d and shared that the town would manage the money carefully.”<\/em> Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. What does it mean to “to set foot in some place<\/strong>“? “The quiet town of Thiberville in Normandy, France, was left stunned when it inherited an astonishing fortune of $10.2 million from a man who had never set foot in the town<\/strong>.” <\/em>Use it in your own sentence.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Discussion Questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. What do you think of Roger Thiberville leaving $10 million to a town?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. What would you consider doing with your money if you didn’t have anyone to leave it to?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. What would you do if you unexpectedly inherited a huge amount of money?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Who are some of the most generous people you’ve met? What makes them generous?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. What do you know about the laws on inheritance tax in your country?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      B2 – Upper Intermediate Imagine receiving a generous amount of money from a total stranger. How would that make you feel? This is exactly what happened to the small town of Thiberville as it becomes the unexpected beneficiary of an astounding amount of inheritance from a Parisian meteorologist who never once set foot in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[291,461,292,289,293],"class_list":["post-29492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-homework","tag-b2-upper-intermediate","tag-culture-and-countries","tag-first-certificate-fce","tag-reading","tag-text"],"yoast_head":"\nFrench Town Inherits $10.2mn from Unknown Benefactor | phone english blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/2025\/01\/french-town-inherits-10-2mn-from-unknown-benefactor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"French Town Inherits $10.2mn from Unknown Benefactor | phone english blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"B2 – Upper Intermediate Imagine receiving a generous amount of money from a total stranger. 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